


The Mind of a Brainiac

by Elektra_1



Series: Super Stories [4]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-04
Updated: 2018-08-06
Packaged: 2019-06-21 14:10:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,281
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15559449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elektra_1/pseuds/Elektra_1
Summary: Brainiac-5 helped Kara out of her mind prison after her battle with Reign. It was only fair she return the favour…A look at what was happening in Brainiac-5's mind during "Sleeping Beauties".





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story is based on my own personal speculation that Vril Dox/Brainiac-1 will end up in the present at some point to wreak havoc in National City. It's my first "chaptered" addition to the Super Stories series.
> 
> I included some of Brainiac-5's various comic history regarding his parentage and childhood experiences, then put my own twist on it - although Brainiac-4 was twisted enough on her own...

Brainiac-5 sat with his knees tucked up to his chest, nimble fingers playing with the new hairstyle Supergirl and her protege, Dreamer, had insisted he wear.

With the anti-alien sentiment permeating the country, it had been increasingly difficult to find a barbershop that welcomed non-Earthling patrons, thus Brainy’s hair had grown past his shoulders and become unruly – the _typical mad scientist look,_ Kara had said.

Both she and Nia threatened to shave it all off unless he let them do something with it.

After much nagging, he had agreed: His hair was now parted neatly on the side, falling forward more to frame his face rather than constantly brushed back.

Kara had seemed rather appreciative of the new look, if he had read her body language correctly -- something which, he had to admit, was often difficult to decipher.

“Brainy?”

A familiar voice interrupted Brainiac-5 from his mental musings – there was not much else to do in this place BUT muse.

He glanced up from his place on the floor … or ground… or whatever it was he was sitting on - and saw the Girl of Steel standing before him.

“Supergirl!” he couldn’t hide his surprise upon seeing the blonde, costume-clad Kryptonian before him.  

“I’ve come to get you out of here,” she looked around, and furrowed her brow. “Wherever _here_ is.”

“Ah! You used the cerebral interface to connect with my AI core,” he said proudly as he pushed to his feet.

“Yeah,” she acknowledged as she glanced around. “Rao, this place is so _strange_!”

Brainy followed her gaze. Oddly coloured circuitry made up what one could consider walls, a floor, and a ceiling. He compared it to being inside a computer.

But then again, what else would a Brainiac’s _mind prison_ look like?

He turned to his new companion and saw she had squeezed her eyes shut, her fingers gently massaging the bridge of her nose.

“Apologies, Kara. No doubt it is overwhelming being inside the mind of one of my kind,” he offered regretfully. “Though if anyone could make sense of it, it would be you. You have a genius-level intellect. It’s quite admirable.”

“You admire my intelligence?” she asked, surprise clear on her face.

He nodded. “Yes! It’s why I often engage you in talks of science and technology. No doubt you would have been a valued member of the Science Guild on Krypton.”

“My dad was,” she replied. “I always wanted to follow in his footsteps.” She moved closer to the Coluan, “But enough about me. Let’s find you an exit.”

He shook his head. “That may not be possible.”

“Of _course_ it’s possible!” Kara snapped. “You helped me find an exit when _I_ was trapped.”  

“That was different – you were in control there. _I_ am not in control here.”

“What do you mean?”

“This place is of HIS making.”

There was no question who Brainy was referring to: Vril Dox. Also known as Brainiac-1.

The evil AI had blazed a path of destruction attempting to escape the Legion’s custody once they had saved the inhabitants of Colu.

Unfortunately, that attempted escape had landed both the Legion and Brainiac-1 in National City when Vril had sent out a signal through space and time to find other Brainiacs.

He had found Querl Dox.

In a last-ditch effort to end Brainiac-1’s reign of terror, Brainiac-5 forced a link with Vril’s mind and shut him down from the inside. 

It had had unforeseen consequences.

“He hasn’t woken up since you did… _whatever_ it was that you did, but he’s currently in Legion custody,” Kara explained.

“Then I need to get out of here before he’s taken back to the 31st Century to face justice. Once he awakes...” Brainy let the sentence drop.

“…then you’ll be trapped in here _with_ him. And who knows what he may do to you.” Kara finished.

Brainy nodded. “Even now, I can sense him. He’s not fully awake, and therefore not at full strength – but he’s _aware._ ”

“In that case, we should find an exit ASAP.”

“It’s worth a try, I suppose,” Brainy shrugged, and the two began to walk. “You know,” The Coluan attempted to make conversation, “I am thinking of staying here for awhile. Well, not _here_ ,” he indicated the circuitry around them. “But in the 21st century. Even after my relative is safely locked away.”

“Oh?” Kara asked.

“Yes. It’s not time to leave yet. I think my future is here – no pun intended. I can always return to the 31st Century should the need arise.” He then glanced at Kara, “And I’m quite sure Winn enjoys where he is as well.”

"He really does," Kara nodded. “You’ll always be welcome at the DEO, however long you stay.”

“I really have nowhere else to go anyway. And…” he shrugged, “Well, people don’t judge me by my family here as much as they do _there_. They don’t know--” he stopped, his face falling.  “Well, no. That is incorrect. They _do_ know. _Now_.”

Kara reached out and rubbed his back in an act of compassion – something he wasn’t used to.

The two stopped after what seemed like a good half-hour (as time goes in the mind) when they came upon a door.

“See!” Kara replied happily. “You just have to walk through it.”

“This is far too easy,” Brainy’s voice was filled with suspicion. He slowly opened the door and stepped through, Kara following behind.

The two had entered what appeared to be a hospital room. A Coluan woman lay on the bed in a hospital gown, her long white hair a mess and her turquoise skin covered in a sheen of sweat.

The symbol embedded in her forehead offered a tell-tale sign of what she truly was:

* * *

  _"You have a healthy baby boy!” The Coluan doctor replied happily as he carried a swathed newborn over to the woman who had just birthed him._

_“I do not want It,” she replied, her voice flat and cold as she waved the baby away._

_The doctor seemed confused, “But… he’s your son!” He moved closer and held the baby out to her._

_“If you bring It any closer, I will break Its little neck,” she replied, nothing but ice in her tone. “And I will break **your** neck as well, Dr. Nix.”_

_Nix immediately pulled the child back, “If you did not want a child, why did you have him?”_

_“It was an experiment," she replied simply._

_“What about his Father?”_

_“Dead.” She answered. “I had no more need of him.”_

_“I don’t—I don’t understand. Are… are you saying you **killed**  the baby’s father?” Dr. Nix asked._

_“Yes.” She replied simply, “You see, all you 8th Levels speak of is how parenthood changed you. I was curious if it would do the same for **my**  kind. I needed a male in order for that to happen. He was no use to me after that.” Her voice was emotionless as she continued. “But this experiment has not changed me. Therefore, I do not want that Thing you are holding,” she indicated the baby in the doctor’s arms._

_“Why are all you Brainiacs such heartless monsters?” Nix snapped_

_“It is in our nature,” she explained as she pushed herself off the bed and set about changing into regular clothes, not bothering to put the privacy shield up. “and that creature in your arms will be just like the rest of us one day.”_

_The doctor looked down into the baby’s eyes, the expression on his face softening as little turquoise fingers tugged at his greying beard, gurgling something that could almost be described as words._

_"I would recommend leaving It at the orphanage,” the woman spoke again._

_Dr. Nix looked back at her. “Where he’ll be raised by robots?”_

_“I do not care how It is raised.”_

_“Did you at least think about a name?” Nix demanded._

_She shrugged, “I am Brainiac-4. It stands to reason, then, that It will be known as Brainiac-5.”_

_The doctor looked at the child in his arms, “ **Querl**  is a far better name,” he said. “You look like a Querl.”_

_The doctor glanced up to inform his patient of the clever name he had thought up, but Brainiac-4 was long gone..._


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brainiac-5 helped Kara out of her mind prison after her battle with Reign. It was only fair she return the favour…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is based on my own personal speculation that Vril Dox/Brainiac-1 will end up in the present at some point to wreak havoc in National City. Takes place after “A Visit from the Future” and “Sleeping Beauties”.
> 
> I included some of Brainiac-5's various comic history regarding his parentage and childhood experiences, then put my own twist on it - although Brainiac-4 was twisted enough on her own...

“Your mother abandoned you?” Kara asked gently as Brainiac-4 and Dr. Nix faded away, leaving only an empty hospital room in their wake.

Brainiac-5 nodded, then sat on a nearby gurney. Kara joined him.

“I remember that day,” he said, then added, “The curse of being a 12th level intellect,” off Kara’s surprised look. “My brain wasn’t fully functioning yet as far as problem solving, but I still remember what happened.”

“Did you ever see her again?”

“Many times,” he continued to stare at the hospital bed in which Brainiac-4 had lain. “She joined one of the most violent criminal organizations in the 31st century, then murdered all their leaders and took over.” He frowned, “The Legion has had several run-ins with the group since I became a Legionnaire.” 

Brainy suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder and turned his head to see Kara attempting to offer comfort, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he replied. “I have never developed an emotional attachment to her.”

“She’s still your mother,” Kara pointed out.

“Most mothers don’t stalk their sons throughout the galaxy just to abduct and torture them,” Brainiac-5 replied darkly.

Kara inhaled sharply, “She did _what_?”

“A story for another time perhaps,” he replied. “Suffice it to say, she is dangerous. The Legion and I captured her and handed her over to the Coluan government. She is currently locked up in a maximum security prison.”

Brainy hopped off the gurney, making it clear the conversation was over. “Perhaps that door will lead us somewhere," he pointed to the door at the other end of the room. "Shall we go?” 

Kara nodded, and he held a hand out to assist her down from the gurney. Though she didn’t actually _need_ his help, he felt like it would be the polite thing to do.

She took the offer.

Before the two could take a step towards their target, a strange clacking sound filled the room.

Both spun around to see a metal, skull-shaped creature skittering across the tiled floor on what appeared to be robotic tendrils. It stood about 4 feet high and stopped right in front of them.

Kara looked at it, eyes narrowed. “What the—”

“A drone. Blast it!” Brainy shouted. “Hurry!”

Kara took his word for it and unleashed her heat vision. The drone exploded in a mess of circuits and wires.

The clacking sound returned again, but this time it appeared to be multiplied.

“We need to get out of here. NOW!” Brainy grabbed Kara’s hand, and the two ran towards the doors of the hospital room, dodging energy blasts as several drones began to advance on them.

The door was locked.

Without a second thought, Kara kicked it opened and pushed Brainiac-5 through.

They soon found themselves stumbling out into what appeared to be a schoolyard, the door and hospital room disappearing behind them.

“What’s going on here?” Kara demanded, glancing around for more drones.

None appeared to have followed.

“He is playing with us,” Brainy replied. “It is an attempt to keep me stuck in here.”

“Great…” She sighed, then shaded her eyes with a hand as she looked up at the overcast pink and green tinged sky, silhouetted by high-rise buildings made of something other than brick. “Where are we?”

“Colu,” Brainy replied as he watched various ships and shuttles fly by above them. “My home.”

Kara looked off into the distance and narrowed her eyes. “What’s happening over there?” She nodded to a commotion several feet away.

“My classmates,” Brainy frowned as the two headed towards the action. “As if I needed to be reminded of _this_ …” 

* * *

 “ _You can’t outthink a fist, **Brainiac**!” A teenaged Coluan boy shouted as he and his friends surrounded the crumpled figure on the ground._

_The fallen adolescent pushed to his knees, sporting a black eye and cut lip._

_“I can outthink all of **you** , and that is all that matters.” He replied defiantly, the symbol on his forehead glowing._

_A hard kick to the ribs immediately silenced the boy’s grandstanding._

_“If you’re as intelligent as you claim, why did you think anyone would ever accept a Brainiac at this school?” Another boy in the group spat. “They should have locked you up a long time ago!”_

_“I have committed no crimes,” the bloodied boy gasped in response as he clutched at his midsection._

_“It’s only a matter of time,” a third boy sneered. “Your kind can’t help it. It’s in your genes! The only good Brainiac is a dead Brainiac!”_

* * *

 Kara winced at the harshness of the boys’ actions and the cruelty of their words, then her eyes fell on Brainy.

At first glance, he seemed unaffected, but she could see the anger bubbling beneath the surface with the clenching of his jaw and the tight fist he held stiffly at his side.

She had a feeling he had heard these words many times in his youth, and had been subjected to repeated physical abuse from his peers for simply being what he was.

“We should go,” Brainy indicated the closest building as the scene continued to play out. “There may be a way out through there.”

He started to walk ahead of her at a brisk pace.

Kara couldn’t blame him for wanting to make a quick exit…

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brainiac-5 helped Kara out of her mind prison after her battle with Reign. It was only fair she return the favour…

Kara and Brainiac-5 headed inside the closest building… only to find themselves in a bedroom.

A battered adolescent Brainiac-5 sat on what appeared to be his bed, wearing a pair of torn pants with a bandage wrapped around his ribs. An older Coluan – the doctor who had assisted in his birth – was tending to him.

* * *

 " _They **fear** me!” Querl snarled as Dr. Nix ran a dermal regenerator over the boy’s bloodied hands -- a shattered mirror on the wall indicating what had caused the boy’s injuries.  _

_“Nonsense!” Dr. Nix snapped as he finished his work and sat in the chair by Querl’s desk, “They are just jealous immature children. I will talk to the schoolmaster about your classmates’ treatment of you tomorrow.”_

_“It won’t help, Kajz. They know what Brainiacs are capable of, and they **despise** me for it!” Querl shot back. “What if I end up just like the others? Like my Mother? Like… HIM?”_

_“You won’t!” Nix insisted. “You are nothing like them! I promise you, son!”_

_“You cannot promise such a thing. And I am not your son!” The boy snapped._

_“Have I not cared for you since birth?” the doctor responded sternly. “Do I not make sure you are healthy, fed and educated? Do I not comfort you when it is needed, and encourage you if it is required? Have I not stood by your side during all you have been through?” He demanded. “Blood does not determine relations, Querl. You are my **son** in all the ways that matter!”  _

_Querl was about to argue until he caught sight of Kajz’s pained expression._

_“I apologize,” the boy replied humbly, bowing his head. “My dismissive words were inconsiderate and graceless.”_

_“It is fine, Querl. You have had a rough day. I will forgive it this time.”_

_“Thank you, Kajz.” Querl looked forlornly at his hands, the skin slowly knitting back together. “This is not something a 12th level Intellect does. I behaved irrationally.”_

_“You behaved like an angry, frustrated teenager,” Nix pointed out kindly as he sat beside the boy and slid an arm around his shoulder. “And while that is not the most desirable behaviour, it is far better than being cold and detached – like the others.”_

_Querl nodded, “Thank you again, Kajz. And I promise to fix the mirror tomorrow…”_

* * *

 Dr. Nix slowly faded away, along with his teenaged companion, leaving the room in nothing but silence.

“Wait wait,” Kara moved in front of the adult Brainiac-5 before he could take another step. “The _doctor_ raised you?”

“Oh, did I bury the lede?” Brainiac-5 asked. “Yes yes, Dr. Kajz Nix took me home the day I was born. He said he didn’t want me raised in an orphanage, as he knew I would have enough challenges to deal with growing up.”

“So, this was your childhood bedroom?” Kara asked excitedly.

“It was,” he nodded.

“We should look around!”

“Why would you want to?” 

“Remember when I was trapped in a coma? There were things in my apartment that I needed to see. There might be something here that YOU need to see.” She pointed out

Brainy sighed and sat on the bed. “Go on then. It will do no good. As I said, this mind trap is not of _my_ making.”

“Brainiac-1 isn’t infallible. There’s got to be something in this room to help you out. Or at least something to cheer you up,” she added upon seeing his dour face.

Brainy’s eyes focused only on the blonde Kryptonian as she scurried around the bedroom, sifting through the magazines and books that had been ordered with meticulous care on the shelves.

 _There is only one thing in this room that could ever cheer me up…_   he thought.

She spun around to face him, smiling eagerly. “Oh! What is it? We have to find it!”

“What?” Brainy replied, startled. “I didn’t say anything.”

“Yeah you did. You said ‘there’s only one thing in this room that could ever cheer me up’, didn’t you?” she furrowed her brow.

“It appears you are starting to hear my thoughts now, which means you’ve been in here far too long,” he realized. 

“I’m guessing that’s not a good thing?” Kara asked. He shook his head. “Can you hear _my_ thoughts?” she asked worriedly.

“No, but since this is MY mind prison, it only makes sense you can hear me,” Brainy sighed.

“This just got more interesting,” Kara winked, then continued to look around the room.

She went to Brainy’s childhood desk and grabbed an aged wooden box. She opened it only to find holo-pictures of Brainiac-5 at various stages in life.

“Aww, little Brainy! So cute!” she smiled, then continued to flip through the photos. “Why are you alone in all these pictures?” 

“I did not have any friends when I was a child, as you have seen. My relative obviously wants to remind me of that.”

Kara put the holos back in the box and went to join him on the bed. “Vril is an ass.”

“Yes, he is.” Brainy agreed, then bowed his head and studied his hands - hands that had long ago healed from the sharp edges of a shattered mirror. “I spent many nights in this room feeling like I didn’t belong anywhere. If it had not been for Kajz, I do not know what would have become of me. He accepted me as I was, even when no one else did.”

“He was your father,” Kara offered gently.

Brainy nodded, “He made me feel… _normal_ , I suppose. As normal as _I_ could be, at least.”

“Family isn’t always blood,” Kara smiled. “I was just like you when I first came to Earth - Hiding who I was, pretending like my scientific knowledge wasn’t years beyond anything Earth had developed. I felt so alone. Especially when the yellow sun caused my powers to start manifesting. That was an experience, let me tell you!”

“Perhaps you will one day,” he replied. “I would be more than willing to hear it.”

Kara smiled, then grew serious once more. “I don’t know what I would have done without Alex. Our relationship started off a bit rough, but once we started growing closer, I started to feel like part of a real family. And then I met Winn, James, and J’onn. They became an extended and welcome addition to that family.”

Brainy nodded. “Just as the Legion is for _me_ \- though I am without them at the moment,” he shrugged. “Well, at least until there is another intergalactic threat to the 21 st Century.”

“So, in a couple of weeks then?” she joked.

This brought forth a small smile from the Coluan beside her.

His expression and voice then grew softer. “I do not know if I can make it out of here, Kara. I am starting to feel the pressure of Vril’s mind encroaching on mine.”

She entwined her fingers with his, her tone quiet. “You need to fight whatever it is he’s trying to do. I’ll help you get out of here, Querl. I promise.”

He nodded. “When you say that, I truly believe it.”

“As you should!” she replied with a grin.

“I have not yet told you this,” he began, “But I _admired_ you when we first met. Reading the stories about _Supergirl_ in the archives back home, hearing Mon-el’s first-hand accounts. It all painted a beautiful picture of the perfect hero.”

She glanced away, “I’m not perfect.” 

“No, you are not. You have a bad habit of making poor judgement calls when your emotions get the better of you, you’re quick to anger, you make mistakes, and your stubbornness has become the stuff of legend around the DEO.”

Kara frowned. “Okay, no need to be THAT truthful.”

“Sorry… what I mean is – while I _admired_ the perfection that was Supergirl, I have found I rather prefer the _imperfection_ of Kara. Kara is kind, compassionate, and brilliant despite her flaws. Those traits are far more admirable than the number of bad guys _Supergirl_ may have taken down in her lifetime. Your presence here means far more to me than you know.”

“As did yours, when _I_ was stuck,” she replied as she met his eyes.

Had he moved closer to her? Or had she moved closer to him? Kara wasn’t sure, but she had a feeling this was heading someplace she was not yet ready for.

“We… we should try this and see where it leads,” she said as she quickly jumped to her feet and headed towards the door.

“Right. Of course.” Brainy was momentarily bewildered by Kara’s sudden behavioural shift, but he stood up and joined her.

He turned the handle, and the door opened as the room disappeared behind them.

“What the—” Kara gasped.

The only thing she could see was Brainiac-5 and herself --- and a vast expanse of darkness, with no end in sight…


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brainiac-5 helped Kara out of her mind prison after her battle with Reign. It was only fair she return the favour…

“I don’t understand,” Brainy breathed as he looked around.

The darkness stretched for miles.

“Shouldn’t there be another room or something here?” Kara asked. “We’re supposed to be in some weird version of _This is Your Life_ , so …” she let the sentence hang.

“You were helping me through the memories,” Brainy began, the pieces slowly fitting together. “HE didn’t like that. I think—I think the only thing HE wanted, was my _despair_ , but this…” he indicated the darkness surrounding them. “This is worse than memories. It’s… _nothing_.”

“How is that possible?” Kara asked. “I mean, if this is _your_ mind, there has to be SOMETHING here. There has to be another door! We just have to find it.” She grabbed Brainy’s hand and began to pull him along behind her.

“Kara, don’t.” Brainiac-5 tugged his hand back and planted his feet.

She spun on him, “Querl, we are NOT staying here!”

“You can leave any time you want. Just take off the cerebral interface.”

“I’m not leaving without you!”

“He has been stopped. That’s all that matters. You are needed _out there_. No sense in staying trapped with me.”

She shook her head, “There has to be a way.” She looked around the darkness, still looking for a doorway, then stopped. “Hope!” she gasped.

“Hope?” he repeated.

“That’s what you need! Hope!”

“I don’t think I ever _lost_ hope,” he replied, brow furrowed. “There are far too many good people in the world to ever truly lose—”

Kara interrupted with a finger to his lips, “Not hope for the _world_ ,” she clarified. “Hope for YOURSELF. Quick - what’s your last memory of Kajz?” she asked. “Before you came to the 21st Century, I mean. What did you two talk about when you last saw him?”

“Kara, he…” Brainy took a deep breath, “The last time I saw Kajz, he was dying. That was several months before Imra and I decided to go back in time to stop Pestilence.”

“And we DID stop Pestilence. That prevented The Blight from ever happening, right?” Kara asked. 

Brainy shook his head, “Kajz died of old age, not The Blight. I mourned his loss for some time, but I finally came to a place of acceptance.” 

“And yet, you’re still feeling despair. If not over Kajz, then what?” she puzzled.

Brainy sat down on whatever the ground was and looked up at her.

“Even trapped in here, I can still sever our link through the cerebral interface. You know your sister will kill me if I let you stay.”

“You’re in a coma. Killing you would be pointless.” Kara eased herself down beside him, the endless darkness making her unsure of where to move her body. “And don’t you dare cut that link. I swear, Querl. If you let yourself be stuck here, I’ll never forgive you! C’mon, you’re a 12th Level Intellect. What’s causing this darkness?”

“I don’t know. There’s nothing I’m particularly desolate about. I have made my peace with my childhood demons – and while I will always wish people could accept me for who I am and not _fear_ me because of my relatives, I am happy with the non-related family I have made. I can think of no reason why—” he stopped, his eyes immediately going to her. “Oh.”

“What? You thought of something?”

“No. Well, yes, but it makes no logical sense.”

“Emotions never do,” Kara replied. “What is it?”

“Love,” he replied.

“Love?” Kara repeated. “Your friends love you.”

“It’s not _platonic_ love that I’m speaking of,” he sounded embarrassed by the very thought.

 “Oh…” Kara replied quietly. 

“As I said, it’s not logical. And it is also not something I would think should cause _this_ ,” He waved a hand towards the darkness, “Unless…” it hit him then.  He met her eyes.  “This is his plan. Vril wants to punish the one Brainiac that rebelled against his Kin - that chose the _Organics_ over his legacy.”

“What do you mean?” Kara asked.

“As you said, I have friends who have bonded with me as such. But there is ONE emotional bond I will never have. It is a bond _no_ Brainiac has ever had.”

“Why do you think you’ll never have that?” Kara asked. “ _You_ have the capacity to love, _they_ don’t.”

Brainiac-5 suddenly became agonizingly alert as his earlier awareness of Vril Dox’s presence heightened.

“You have to leave, Kara! I can feel his mind growing stronger now. He’s in custody, yes... but he is also starting to wake up. Once he does, there will be little you can do to fight him here - and it does no one any good for Supergirl to trap herself in a _Brainiac_ ’s mind.”

 “No,” She placed a hand on his cheek, turning his face towards her, “I’m not going.”

“You _must_ ,” he met her eyes pleadingly. “Vril has me where he wants me. Perhaps one day, I will find a way to free myself through other means, but until then-”

“Perhaps?!” she interrupted. “That’s not a guarantee!” She leaned forward, resting her forehead against his, a thumb gently stroking his cheek. “I _won’t_ leave you alone here. I _can’t_.”

His eyes closed in response to her soothing actions. “The world needs Supergirl more than it needs _me_.”

“ _I_ need you,” she replied.

He met her eyes once more, surprised at her words.

“Apologies if this question is presumptuous,” he began apprehensively as he pulled away from her touch. “but… is your current affection towards me _platonic..._ or _amorous_?” 

“Querl…”

He stood up, pacing anxiously for a moment before he stopped and turned to face her.

“I only ask because I am 99.9% certain I have fallen in-love with you over these last many months, but I dared not attempt to calculate the odds of this being requited as I was sure they would be quite low. If I am misinterpreting your actions in any way, please forgive me.”

Kara pushed to her feet, closing the last few inches of distance between them--- before the ground suddenly vanished, sending the two tumbling into darkness, and back into the real world...


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brainiac-5 helped Kara out of her mind prison after her battle with Reign. It was only fair she return the favour…

Kara woke up with a start, her hand immediately going to the cerebral interface on her forehead.

She quickly glanced around the Infirmary and saw Brainiac-5 awakening with the same suddenness as she had.

He turned to look at her, an emotion in his eyes she would not have thought him capable of before. 

She took a shaky breath and willed her pulse to slow down. Her complicated feelings for him were _definitely_ not something she was ready to deal with at this time – despite what had just transpired.

“Hey, Brainy,” Kara began once she had composed herself, “You okay?”

“Yes. I’m fine.” He replied, his full attention still on her.

“Hey guys?” Alex began, bringing Kara’s attention to her, “What happened?”  

“Don’t remember,” Kara and Brainy suddenly said in unison, immediately finding something else to focus on rather than each other.

Alex’s suspicious eyes darted between Kara and Brainy.  “You two look a little flushed.”

“I am fine, Director Danvers,” Brainy replied first.

“Yeah, I’m good too,” Kara offered second. “Am I clear to go?”

“Sure,” Alex answered, “You’re both in pretty good shape for two people who have been unconscious for five days. Alien physiology, I guess.”

“FIVE DAYS?” Kara sputtered.

“Of course,” Brainy nodded with understanding. “Time goes faster in the mind.”

Kara’s stomach suddenly growled. This was followed by Brainiac-5’s stomach doing the same thing.

The two met each other’s eyes once again, and Kara burst out laughing. Brainy couldn’t help but smile in response.

“Noonan’s?” She asked.

“Yes. A most reasonable plan of action,” he replied.

Kara jumped off the bed, “Last one there buys the pot stickers!”

“That is hardly fair, considering you have super speed,” Brainy pointed out as he slid to his feet.

“I won’t use it,” she promised.

“I have calculated a 98.3% chance that you will,” he responded.

“Yeah okay, I totally will!” In a blur of red and blue, Kara disappeared from sight.

“Brainy?” Alex began as the Coluan was about to follow. “What _really_ happened in there? Between the two of you?” she asked.

“Something neither of us are ready to talk about right now,” he answered truthfully as he tapped his forehead and turned on his personal image inducer. 

Brainiac-5 was about to step out of the infirmary, but stopped and turned back to Alex, brow furrowed. “Was there someone else in here with you just now?” 

“No. Why do you ask?” Alex replied.

“I’m sensing an energy signature similar to mine. And…” he looked unsure for a moment, “While Kara is highly intelligent, I do not think she knows yet how to properly operate a 31st Century cerebral interface – let alone to connect with a _Brainiac’s_ mind. If one little setting was off, she would have died in there… and yet, it seemed to have been set perfectly.”

“Perhaps you’re not giving her enough credit,” Alex replied.

Brainy looked ashamed, “Perhaps you are correct and I have underestimated her.”

Alex watched him run to the balcony and fly off, the Director of the DEO coming to the conclusion that there were some things Kara and Brainiac-5 were better off not knowing.

**END**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who was hanging around the DEO infirmary? Check out "Sleeping Beauties" for the answer.


End file.
